1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disk loading apparatus suitable for use with, for example, a compact disk player.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various disk loading apparatus are conventionally known and incorporated in various apparatus such as a compact disk player. An exemplary one of such conventional disk loading apparatus is shown in FIG. 13. Referring to FIG. 13, the disk loading mechanism shown includes a loading motor 2 mounted on a main chassis 1. A motor pulley 3 is securely mounted on a rotary shaft of the loading motor 2. A belt 5 extends around the motor pulley 3 so that rotation of the motor pulley 3 is transmitted to a loading pulley 4 mounted for rotation on the main chassis 1. An intermediate gear 6 and a drive gear 7 are mounted on the main chassis 1, and rotation of the loading pulley 4 is transmitted to the drive gear 7 via the intermediate gear 6.
A tray 8 having a disk receiving portion 10 for receiving a disk thereon is supported for movement on the main chassis 1 under the guidance of a plurality of guide elements 11. A rack 9 is formed on one of a pair of inner side faces of the tray 8 for engaging the drive gear 7.
When the loading motor 2 is energized to rotate, the rotation thereof is transmitted to the rack 9 via the motor pulley 3, the loading pulley 4, the belt 5, the intermediate gear 6 and the drive gear 7. As a result, the tray 8 is moved relative to the main chassis 1. Consequently, a disk placed on the receiving portion 10 of the tray 8 is loaded to or unloaded from a predetermined position.
In the conventional compact disk player, the axes of rotation of the rotational elements of the drive system from the loading motor 2 to the drive gear 7 thus extend in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advancing and retracting movement of the tray 8. Accordingly, the conventional compact disk player has a problem in that a comparatively great dimension is required in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advancing and retracting movement of the tray, that is, in the vertical direction of the compact disk player and it is difficult to reduce the dimension and hence the overall thickness of the compact disk player.